


Home for Christmas

by frapandfurious, squire



Series: Big Brothers AU [8]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Fluff, Gift Giving, Light Angst, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, benarmie, very light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 07:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8970172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frapandfurious/pseuds/frapandfurious, https://archiveofourown.org/users/squire/pseuds/squire
Summary: Hux and Ben start a new holiday tradition together. Rey invites Techie to spend Christmas with her and her family.
Everyone gets what they want that year, and some things they didn't expect.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of Christmas fluff for you all. :)

**Hux**

 

Hux stared bemusedly at the bunch of greenery that had somehow come to life and was now attempting to get through the door to make residence in their flat, apparently. Upon second look, and after a couple of violent shakes accompanied by a shower of pine needles scattering in every direction, Ben's head emerged from behind the bush, disheveled and flushed.

"Help me a bit here, Hux?"

Hux took a cautious step closer.

"We could have gone camping, you know," he offered tentatively. "If you missed wilderness so much."

"Very funny," Ben rolled his eyes and finally managed to squeeze the whole armful of branches, twigs and sprigs through the doorway, stumbling after it and narrowly avoiding dumping it all on Hux. "You said you wanted to decorate! A touch of the season, hm?"

"This. Isn't. A touch. This is... Ben, we don't even have enough vases or buckets to host the entirety of the Park you apparently massacred for this over the holidays."

"It'll hold until Christmas even without water, you'll see," Ben said confidently and shook his head to free his hair from the tangle of twigs. Needles rained everywhere.

"You're doing the vacuuming from now on until New Year's," Hux gave up.

"Deal," Ben grinned, depositing the prickly pile right in the middle of living room carpet and diving amidst the branches to rummage through them, emerging a moment later with a big paper bag of–

"Ta-daaah!"

"That's...  _ a lot _ of mistletoe, darling."

Hux had a whole spectrum of ways he could say the word darling. This was the 'remind-me-why-I-am-marrying-you' way. Ben snatched off the prettiest sprig of mistletoe and stalked towards Hux, holding it high in the air and making the best pouty-lipped and puppy-eyed face in his repertoire.

"I got  _ a lot _ of kisses to make up for from April to October still," he reminded Hux of the time of his deployment. " _ So many _ missed kisses. This could help you to get us back on track, don't you think?"

Of course Hux didn't get to say what he'd thought because his mouth was busy with a kiss at the moment. He'd ended it with a little tug of teeth on Ben's full bottom lip and grinned when Ben followed the motion blindly, nosing along the line of his jaw and planting little kisses there. Hux pulled back to pluck a stray needle out of Ben's left eyebrow.

"Can't survive a day without a kiss?" he asked, brows arching in a faux-stern look, only the twitching of his mouth betraying the affection behind the teasing.

"Says the man who kissed me first," Ben drawled, tucking the mistletoe between the carefully arranged strands of hair on top of Hux's head so he had both hands free to wrap them around his waist. Hux rolled his eyes.

"When did I kiss you first?"

"The first time we kissed. You kissed me first," Ben insisted.

"Ah-ah. I distinctly remember  _ you _ kissed  _ me _ first. Couldn't even wait for the second date, snatched a peck on the cheek when we were about to part ways after our first."

"That hardly counts as a real kiss," Ben grumbled, taking Hux's chin between two fingers to hold it gently in place and planting an exaggeratedly chaste kiss on one freckled cheek to prove his point. "And you can't blame me for wanting to know if that skin would feel just as perfect as it looked."

That perfect skin was now blushing lightly and Hux was biting his lip in a vain attempt at not to smile.

"So what was our first 'real' kiss, hmm?"

Ben looked as if taking his sweet time remembering. Hux suspected that it was in fact a favorite memory of Ben's, replayed fondly and often. He wasn't about to tell Ben that in fact, such was the case with him - Hux would never, couldn't ever forget their first kiss. But for now he enjoyed playing hard to get, especially because Ben was so sweet and teasing and insistent in his arms.

"It was on our third date," Ben began, loosening his embrace to put some space between them and taking Hux's hand, positioning it as if he wanted them to dance. Sure enough, soon he started swaying to some tune only he heard and Hux followed easily, listening to soft words murmured next to his ear like music.

"I was walking you back to the barracks, it was slowly getting dark but still the streets were full of people. We talked, about the people in the café and about cats, and there was a group of people hurrying down the pavement, passing us quickly and you went ahead to avoid them bumping into you - and I was saying something, and instead of falling back into step next to me, you just stopped and turned - I wasn't expecting that, and suddenly I was so close, closer than ever - and I completely forgot what I was about to say because you - you were  _ right there _ ."

Hux pulled their bodies flush together, hips slotting like puzzle pieces, fingers of his free hand playing with the loose curls at the nape of Ben's neck. From this close, Ben's eyes were a bit squinting but huge and warm brown, dotted with dark and golden spots like a starry night.

"You bumped into me and you call it  _ me _ initiating?" he said with a teasing smile. "From what I remember, it was you who started leaning in. After a considerable pause, I'll give you that. Though I have no idea how much of that was conscious deliberation and how much just deer-in-the-headlights effect..."

Ben slid his hand lower to Hux's ass and squeezed in retaliation.

"I expected you to jump back and away!" he explained ruefully. "But you didn't, you just stood there, waiting. Daring me. And even as I was leaning in I still expected it to blow up in my face. That it wasn't something you wanted."

"And yet you went for it," Hux said, the fondness now open and warm, with a touch of pride. "Always the brave one."

"Always the foolish, headstrong one," Ben corrected him, spinning them around in their silent dance. "And I barely touched you before my bravado ran out completely."

Their mouths met in the lightest of touches, and for a moment they just stood there, breathing each other's air, reliving the memory. Then Hux couldn't resist it anymore - he put his hand on Ben's face and guided him into a proper kiss, gentle but deep and full of intent. Just like he did the first time, on that street with the night slowly falling around them.

"See?" Ben's eyes were dancing with mischief when their lips finally parted. "That's how you kissed me first."

If Hux's breath was coming a little shorter, he hid it behind an amused chuckle. "I'd call it more of a joint effort," he remarked. A rather nice summary of their relationship, he thought, and a perfect mirror of their personalities, if he was being honest with himself. Hux was never one to take blind risks. He would always wait until the last moment to be sure that something was really happening and that he wasn't going to make a fool of himself. It was a trait that had paid off in the past but also one that had cost him a lot as well.

"I like that when you want something, you just go for it," he confessed aloud, speaking into the soft dip between Ben's neck and shoulder.

"Even when I nearly always second-guess the hell out of it the very moment I've done it?" Ben laughed. He was blushing; Hux could feel the warmth creeping up the skin under his lips.

"I don't mind you overthinking things," Ben said quietly after a while as if he could read Hux's mind. "It's good when at least one of us is, you know, thinking before acting. But I like that once you've thought it through, you never doubt yourself anymore. You keep what you've snatched and you don't let go."

"As if I could," Hux muttered and decided his mouth was better off kissing than talking for a while. When he felt confident enough to tease again, he looked Ben straight in the eye and declared: "You needn't have worried. You had me right there with what you did."

"What - when I got so excited ’cause you were kissing me back that I backed you into the wall?" Ben asked, bewildered and laughing and maneuvering Hux over the branches and twigs to the nearest vertical surface - which happened to be their bedroom doorway.

Hux couldn't deny that he loved being manhandled. Loved having Ben loom over him, all that broadness and those two extra inches like a wall between their own private bubble and the rest of outside world. But it wasn't just that Ben was big, or strong.

"When you held the back of my head with your hand so that it wouldn't get knocked on the bricks," he corrected. "Just like now," and he tilted his head back into the cradle of Ben's huge fingers to demonstrate. The move exposed the long line of his neck - an opportunity Ben never failed to exploit.

"Do you know what you did, that really got me back then?" Ben murmured between light butterfly kisses against Hux's pulse point. "The way you gripped my hair."

"Oh," Hux laughed a little breathily, "can you blame me? I wanted to touch it since I bloody met you."

"I could tell," Ben teased, grinning against Hux's mouth and leaning his head into Hux's touch, his hair slipping through slowly tightening fingers. Hux would never pull enough to hurt but but his hands liked to claim their territory nevertheless. 

Ben kissed the tip of Hux's nose and pulled back a bit to contemplate him, another grin already breaking over his face.

"You looked so cute after that kiss," he finally declared. Immediately, Hux snorted.

"I did not."

"You were  _ blushing _ ."

"I deny that. You made that up."

Ben was struggling to suppress laughter. "Unbelievable. Six years and you still won't admit you were awkward with kissing in public."

"It wasn't that!" Hux blurted out. Ben raised an eyebrow and Hux belatedly realized he'd just admitted to blushing after all. Damn it. "It was you - I had never seen anyone look at me the way you were looking at me in that moment."

"Oh, baby," Ben exhaled and smiled - that big crooked smile, the one that should be illegal, exactly the one he wore six years ago.

"What's so funny now?" Hux grumbled, parroting his own line from that evening.

"You're blushing again," Ben told him. "And now I  _ have _ seen a ginger blushing before, and it's still the cutest thing I ever saw."

"Oh for–" Hux decided he'd had enough, used the doorframe as leverage, spun Ben around and kissed him - just the way he did then, a little bit hungrily, a little bit dirtily, so that when they parted for breath, this time - just like the last - it was Ben who was blushing.

"Better," Hux smirked and looked around the mess of their living room. "So, decorating it is?"

All the mistletoe Ben bought ended up hung in a bunch in their bedroom doorway, rather than continue his father’s time-honored tradition of hanging a bit in every room of the house. He filed  _ that _ idea away for next year. He took a moment admiring his handiwork and then met Hux’s eyes, which gleamed mischievously at the promise of a month of kisses.

The weeks that followed were busy. Busy was Hux’s normal setting, but his already significant workload increased as inevitable seasonal illnesses benched one colleague after another. It was through a combination of sheer luck and the care Ben took to see that he ate well, dressed warmly, and got enough sleep, which kept him from getting sick himself.

As for Ben, the center where he taught dance had an end of the year performance, and in addition to choreographing and teaching his classes their numbers, he’d been roped into helping with preparations.

They took every moment together they could get, whether it was five minutes leaning shoulder-to-shoulder as they drank their coffee in the morning or falling asleep together at the end of the day.

The mistletoe helped, particularly when they were rushing to get ready in the morning - there it was, a little reminder that no hurry was that pressing as to not squeeze in one more kiss...

Ben would dash out of the shower, nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips and slippers on his feet, and catch Hux by the waist to press a kiss to his cheek just as he was about to leave.

Or it would be Ben up first for an early practice, bundled up with his bag hoisted over one shoulder, in the doorway to say goodbye, when Hux would stumble groggily out of bed and loop his arms around his neck. Still barely awake, he’d kiss the bridge of his nose and Ben would grin and kiss him back before he had to hurry off.

They treasured every little stolen moment.

 

**Techie**

 

For the first half of December, Rey and Techie were too flustered by exams to think much about the holidays. They met up to study several times a week and with each other’s help, aced their tests. Their second semester report cards were at the top of their class.

To celebrate, they went for lunch together at one of the handful of places in town that had menu items Techie could eat.

“By the way,” Rey began. She paused to take a big sip of her drink. “Mom wants to know what kind of Christmas foods you like.”

Techie’s brow pinched as he looked up at her.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, cookies, fruitcake, casserole, those sorts of things…” she trailed off, realizing who she was talking to. “You’ve had all that stuff, right?” She asked cautiously.

Saying no was embarrassing so Techie  just shrugged. It must have been enough of an answer because Rey pulled out her notebook and ripped out a blank page, which she handed to Techie along with a pen.

“Write down anything you’ve ever wanted to try. You know mom loves, um. Experimenting.”

“Are…are you sure? I don’t want to be any…”

“You’re not any trouble,” Rey interrupted. “She’ll be excited, okay? And anything she makes I get to try so really, you’re doing me a favor.”

Techie smiled and took the pen and paper. He jotted down what he could think of; there wasn’t much, mostly sweets, but he  _ really _ didn’t want to be any trouble. But he also really wanted more of Leia’s cooking.

The next time they met up, a few days later, Rey brought a container full of fudge.

*

Three years into Ben and Hux’s relationship, the Solos had extended their invitation to Christmas dinner to include Techie, too. Still unsure where on the rivals-to-friends spectrum he and Rey stood, he politely declined each time. His family’s stiff, obligatory Christmas gathering was always Christmas Eve, so he got to see Armie then. That left him with the house to himself on Christmas Day while his parents went to some ostentatious charity event or another.

But after spending most of the summer with Rey and her family, their home had become a haven to him. So when Rey passed on the invitation from her parents, Techie took one look at the cautious hope on her face and quickly accepted. It was worth it for the brief, bright smile he received, let alone the promise of more of Leia’s cooking.

Techie had never given anyone other than Armie a gift before. But he couldn’t go to the Solos’ on Christmas without one. That was unacceptable.

Luckily, that was the year Techie discovered his artistic side.

Years of making things for school projects and competitions had left him with a lot of spare parts. Circuit boards and bearings and nuts and bolts and gears and lots  _ and lots _ of wire. One day out of sheer boredom he’d started playing around with it to see what he could do, and before he knew it he’d made a little sculpture. It was simple, just a four-legged something-or-other. A dog, he decided. He was never allowed to have a puppy as a kid and a little grin grew on his face at the silly thought that he was somehow defying his father with this.

That was back in the summer and since then he’d spent an evening here or a weekend afternoon there perfecting his craft. That year it would be wire sculptures for everybody. A soldier for Armie, a dancer for Ben, a slice of cake for Leia and a car for Han. And for Rey…

He spent hours agonizing over what to make for Rey, until he was hit with a memory: Rey in a flower shop, holding a huge bouquet and laughing, sunlight in her hair. And he was inspired.

 

**Rey**

 

Rey loved Christmas. She always had. Her favorite season was spring, when everything turned green again, but she had a special place in her heart for the holiday season.

Maybe it was the beauty of it. Maybe it was the soft glow of lights and the red and green and gold and the sound of carols and the smell of hot cocoa. It was the only part of winter that felt warm.

She loved decorating. Sometimes the tree they chose was a little crooked, or the needles began to fall off too soon, but it was always,  _ always _ perfect. She loved pulling out their ornaments, one by one, and remembering where each one came from.

Maybe it was the way her family celebrated, all their little traditions. They’d never had much money, but her parents were clever and made things fun.

When she was small and still believed in Santa, her father would put deer tracks leading up to the empty glass and crumb-dusted plate. When she got older, her mother would let her stand on a stool next to her in the kitchen and measure ingredients for her.

Her favorite childhood toy was a doll she’d gotten for Christmas which still sat on her dresser. Her favorite cookie was her mother’s thumbprint cookies, which she only made that at that time of year. Her favorite photo was of her big brother holding her up to put the star on top of the tree.

That year, like every other, she felt the thrill when December rolled around. She couldn’t wait to do all her favorite things.

This year, though, something was different. 

She’d always held their traditions close, never shared them with anyone but Han and Leia and Ben. This year she found she wanted to share them with Techie.

She first asked her mother to make a batch of the thumbprint cookies. Then she brought them the next time they met up and told him they were Leia’s way of inviting him for Christmas dinner. She tried not to get her hopes too high, yet when he said yes it was such a relief she couldn’t stop a smile.

Then there was the matter of a gift for him.

Leia told her not to worry about it, and that she and Han would pick up a couple things. It wasn’t the same and Rey knew it. It mattered that the gift was from  _ her. _ She didn’t let herself think about why, but it mattered.

And besides, she had a suspicion that Techie had something for her in return. She was perhaps more excited for that than anything else. And so she thought and thought, until she had an idea.

*

December went quickly, too quickly, barreling toward the new year like a sled let loose on a snow packed hill. Before they knew it, it was Christmas day.

For the fourth time that morning, Rey peeked through the curtain of the front window, shoulders slumping when there was no one outside.

“They said they’d be here at one.” The voice from the doorway behind her made her jump and she glared back at her father.

“Yeah but Hux is five minutes early to everything!”

“And Ben is always five minutes late, so they cancel each other out. I bet you they’ll be here at one on the dot.”

Rey grinned.

“How much do you bet me?”

Han was about to answer when Leia’s voice chimed from the kitchen.

“You two stop that!”

They both cast a bewildered look to the other room. It was frightening how Leia always knew when they were up to no good. They often joked she had some sort of clairvoyance.

Rey sighed and looked at the time. 12:55. Then her head whipped around at the sound of a car pulling up. She shot a triumphant look to her father.

“Told you!”

And before he could answer she was at the door, pulling it wide open in spite of the chill and dusting of snow on their doorstep.

Techie was the first out of the car, a bag in his hand. He waved shyly at Rey and began making his way up the walk. Meanwhile, Ben was standing with his arms out while Hux loaded them up with things to carry: two casserole dishes, a small stack of presents, and a bag dangling from his fingers. Techie reached the door just in time for him and Rey to catch Hux reward him with a kiss and they both made a face.

“It’s going to be a long day,” Rey muttered and Techie nodded in agreement. Then their eyes met and they laughed.

“Merry Christmas,” Techie said, ducking his head.

“Merry Christmas,” Rey replied, slowly glancing towards the bag he held. He quickly moved it behind his back and shook his head.

“No peeking! These are for later.”

She pouted but let him in and held the door for Hux and Ben to enter. Leia appeared from the kitchen to greet them and take the things from Ben. Rey, meanwhile, pulled Techie into the living room.

She let go of his arm and watched his face as he walked slowly around the room, taking in the decorations. He stopped first at the tree and set his bag down next to it. He ran careful fingers over ornaments and Rey bounced on the balls of her feet, itching to tell the story behind each one but not wanting to ruin the moment.

His gaze wandered down to where Han and Leia had set out gifts wrapped in red, green and gold. Each had a tag with a name on it, and…

“T-there are some for me?” Techie’s voice was soft with awe as he knelt and touched one.

“Of course there are. We wouldn’t forget about you.”

She watched several emotions pass over his face before he swallowed and stood, cheeks flushed.

“Thank you.”

He turned to the other side of the room, to the fireplace. It was blocked off at the top and went unused, except for photos and decorations on the mantle.

Techie’s expression went from curious to stunned in an instant. There on the mantle hung six handmade stockings, each adorned with a different image and at the top embroidered with a name. Leia, Han, Ben, Armitage, Rey and…Techie.

This was different than the presents; anyone could buy something for someone. This was his name hung beside theirs like it belonged there, a claim to him as part of their family.

Rey caught the quiver of his lip and moved to stand beside him. Techie sniffed and rubbed at his eyes, feigning allergies, but she knew better and slipped an arm around his shoulders. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Then Techie composed himself and offered a little smile.

“Want to go have some cookies?” Rey asked with an answering grin.

“I thought your mom said those were for later.”

“She won’t notice if we sneak a couple.”

Leia noticed. She never said a word.

The day went far too quickly, as full, wonderful days tend to do. They lounged in the living room and talked, catching up on their busy lives. Hux told them more about his time overseas and Ben talked about the performance at the center and Rey and Techie griped about school, finishing each other’s sentences throughout. Leia’s favorite Christmas music played softly in the background. When Han and Leia wanted to discuss some wedding planning with Ben and Hux, Rey pulled Techie over to the tree. He listened attentively while she showed him her favorite ornaments.

Hux taught everyone a card game his unit played. Rey picked up on it frighteningly quickly and started winning  _ too _ often, until Ben finally suggested they do something else. Luckily, it was time to begin preparing dinner, so Leia retreated and Rey and Techie joined her. From the living room they could hear soft talking and laughter as Hux, Ben and Han flipped through an album of baby pictures of Ben and later Rey. Rey knew which one it was that caused the most hilarious reaction - a grainy photo of chubby Ben in kindergarten, arm wrapped protectively around a boy with a fiery mop of hair and an expression that conveyed clearly that he didn’t want to be protected.

 

Rey and Techie didn’t need to stand on stools as Rey once had but they stood side by side at the counter while Leia assigned them tasks. Between the patient instruction and easy conversation and incredible smells filling the air as they cooked, Techie was practically glowing. Rey watched him laugh without ducking his head and measure sugar without his hands shaking and her heart felt so full she had to glance away for fear it might burst.

When it was finally time to eat, there was barely room for them to sit six at the dining room table made for four, but they squeezed in anyway. All the dishes and plates and glasses barely fit on the surface, completely covering Leia’s nice tablecloth which she put out this one night of the year. No one had bothered to switch off the music as it looped to the start for the seventh time that day.

Rey had a moment of self-consciousness at first. Techie had once described to her the stiff family dinners they'd had when his father had company over. Catered food and fine china and more spoons than made any sense and polite conversation. It really wasn’t helping that Techie had impeccable table manners, having them drilled into him at a young age. What would he think of them?

Then she took in the look on his face as he piled his plate high with food and the startled laugh he gave when Han clapped him on the back and told him, “careful, kid, I think your eyes might be bigger than your stomach.” Her worries dissipated. Techie always did say he hated those other dinners.

After cleaning up things slowed into comfortable laziness. The music still played quietly in the background as they gathered around the tree – sprawled on the couch and armchairs – to exchange gifts and allow their stomachs a chance to make room for dessert.

Highlights included gardening supplies for Leia, who had big plans involving herbs, a warm hat from Ben and Hux to Han, who was endlessly griping about the cold, and matching sweaters for Ben and Hux which Leia had knit herself.

“They’re…” Ben began hesitantly, when he and Hux lifted them from their wrapping.

“They’re  _ lovely _ ,” Hux answered for them both, and Rey caught him gently elbow Ben in the side when he thought no one was looking.

“I made one for Ben, oh, a few years before you two met I guess it was. He grew out of it, of course,” Leia explained.

“I’ll bet he did.” Hux gave Ben’s arm an appreciative squeeze, which had him blushing and Han and Leia laughing and Rey and Techie regretting ever introducing them.

“What’s in the bag Techie brought?” Rey piped up.

Techie timidly handed out each of his wire sculptures, all except Rey’s, which he kept in the bag held behind his back.

“These are wonderful, Techie,” Leia told him warmly, and everyone agreed. Techie squirmed under the attention but he was smiling. He kept glancing up at Rey as if he wanted to say something. The stealth with which he kept the bag away from her prying eyes was driving her up a wall.

“Want to get some cookies?” She asked him casually.

“Y-yeah, sure.” He followed her out of the room while the others pretended not to notice the suddenness of their exit.

In the kitchen, Rey turned to face him. He seemed somehow more nervous in here than he had in the living room.

“I have a gift for you,” she said. He looked surprised.

“Oh. I have one for you too…”

“Well I’d hope so, since you got everyone else one.” Techie’s face fell a little and Rey cringed at her own bluntness. She didn’t mean to put him on the spot, but she also couldn’t deny the sting she felt over the thought that he might have skipped her. Sure, they still bickered a lot, but they were  _ friends _ . Right?

Then Techie drew himself up and pressed the handles of the gift bag into her hand.

“O-of course I did. Here.”

She looked up and found him looking half-anxious and half…something else. Hopeful, maybe? She opened the bag and when she pulled out what was inside she was uncharacteristically speechless for a moment.

Techie had made her a bouquet of wire flowers in a thin metal vase, complete with stems and leaves, each one unique. She turned it slowly in her hands, taking in all the little details.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally said. She could feel a smile forming. Just this once, she didn’t bother to hide it. The gift was really, truly beautiful. “Thank you. I love it.”

When she looked at Techie again he was blushing to the tips of his ears. It was endearing, too much so, and she quickly dug into her pocket to produce his gift.

It was a drawstring pouch containing something small but sturdy. He felt over it inquisitively before opening it and pulling out…

“A key?”

It was attached to a metal keychain. He turned the keychain over to find it was embossed with his name. He looked back up at her with wide eyes.

“The key to our house.” Rey watched the growing understanding on his face. “You can…come over whenever you need to, okay? It can be like, um. Your second home. Or something. Oh and I made the keychain! Well, dad helped me make it,” she added hastily.

For the second time that day Techie’s lip began to tremble. He clutched the key tight in his hand and seemed to deliberate over something for a moment. Then he took a step forward and wrapped Rey in a hug.

At first she was too shocked to respond. Had Techie ever  _ hugged _ her before? No, never…they sat and stood close all the time, and sometimes their hands or knees brushed, but this…never.

She felt the weight of the metal vase in her hand and quickly brought her arms up around his waist, squeezing. Techie squeezed back. He gave good hugs, she decided. He smelled nice, too, like expensive shampoo and clean cotton.

As Techie drew away she already missed the feeling and wondered if it would ever happen again. She shook away the thought and turned her attention to finding a tissue for Techie.

“Allergies, right?” She asked with a wink as she handed it to him. Techie laughed and the awkward tension broke.

“We’d better eat some cookies,” he added, “so they don’t get suspicious.”

Rey was already pulling plates down from the cabinet.

   


**Ben**

 

The minute the apartment door locked behind them, Ben and Hux let out a relieved sigh. They'd had a wonderful time, but it was good finally be home. This was their present to themselves: one evening alone together.

They changed into pajamas, turned off all the lights but the ones on the tree, and poured themselves drinks. Ben got settled on the couch first, leaning against the pillows with his legs stretched out. He held a glass of eggnog in one hand; the other arm he held out expectantly for Hux.

Any other night Hux might have taken his time tidying up, gone to the bathroom, admired the tree, a little light teasing to make Ben squirm.

Tonight he skipped all that in favor of sinking into the offered embrace. He leaned with his head against Ben’s, their long legs tangled together, a glass of red wine in one hand.

Ben hummed with satisfaction and held his glass up. Hux tapped his own against it with a smile.

“Merry Christmas, pumpkin.”

“Merry Christmas.”

They relaxed into each other and sipped their drinks quietly. Ben finished his first and set the glass on a coaster, then took a moment to look at Hux.

Hux’s eyes were closed, his breathing even. The tension he usually held in his face was gone, and in the glow of the lights he looked young and soft. Ben knew how strong and competent Hux was, but a wave of protectiveness still pulsed through him at times like this. He smoothed his hand over the soft red hair and slid it down to rub Hux’s shoulders and back in a slow, steady motion. He was rewarded with a small sigh and the feeling of Hux melting into his embrace.

He was pulled from his thoughts by lips moving along his jaw, first a brush, then light kisses, then firmer ones. Hux twisted in his grip to work his way up to his earlobe, which he tugged on gently with his teeth and whispered, “what are you thinking about, gorgeous?”

Ben’s cheeks warmed at the attention, the compliment, the feeling of Hux draped across him. His hand tightened on Hux’s waist. With the other, he fumbled until he found Hux’s wine glass and removed it from his loose grip to set aside. His gaze never left Hux.

“You,” he replied softly, honestly.

In the dim light he couldn’t see the blush on those freckled cheeks but he knew it was there, he could feel the warmth when Hux pressed his face into his neck and grinned.

“Such a romantic.”

“Hmm, I thought you liked that about me?” Ben trailed his fingers playfully up and down along Hux’s spine.

“I do,” Hux admitted quietly.

“Is this you talking, or the wine?”

Ben laughed as Hux swatted his chest lightly. Then Hux was twisting again, readjusting himself in Ben’s lap so that he could loop an arm around his shoulders. Soft fingers ghosted over his lips and caressed at his cheek and slid through his hair. Ben’s eyes fluttered shut. Being at the center of Hux’s single-minded focus was intoxicating, he could never get enough of it.

The hand slid along his jaw, tilting his face to the right angle, then Hux’s lips pressed to his in a tender kiss. The rich sweetness of the egg nog and the tang of the wine made for a strange combination, but as they kissed, Ben found he liked it. He let Hux lead, sighing with appreciation and letting his hands roam over Hux’s body.

When they were both breathless, Hux lifted his head to admire a thoroughly disheveled Ben, a half-smile on his face. Rather than go in for another kiss, Hux settled back down with his head in the crook of Ben’s neck. His hand rested over Ben’s heart and his legs curled up slightly. Ben gave in to the unspoken request and wrapped his arms around him.

His soft breathing tickled Ben’s neck. Soon Ben felt it even out and then slow. Either Hux had fallen asleep, or was close to it, and protectiveness stirred within him again.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, he lifted Hux and carried him to their bedroom. Once Hux was tucked under the blankets, Ben went back out to turn off the lights and wash and put away their glasses. When he returned, he was surprised to see Hux standing in the doorway, leaning sleepily against the door frame.

“I thought you were asleep, babe?” He walked over and slid his hands around Hux’s waist.

“Mm, I did doze off. But then I woke and you weren’t there.”

“I was cleaning up,” Ben answered with a small smile.

“Well, there’s one other thing.” Hux’s fingers played with the bottom of Ben’s t-shirt. He nodded to something just above and behind Ben. Ben glanced over his shoulder to see the mistletoe. “One last time?” Hux added.

Ben felt a little twinge of sadness at that. That's right, they’d be taking it down soon.

He didn’t stop his smile from faltering in time, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Hux tugged his shirt firmly, pulling Ben close, the tips of their noses nearly touching.

“As if I need an excuse to kiss you,” Hux whispered, and Ben shivered.

He found Hux’s hands where they still clutched his shirt and gripped both wrists loosely with one hand, lifting them up to pin above Hux’s head. It had the desired effect: Hux’s cheeks flushed and his lashes fluttered. As Ben pressed up against him he bit his lip and made a small, pleased sound.

Hux's hair was a little tousled and he was wearing one of Ben’s shirts. Their eyes met in the low light from outside and the way Hux was looking at him made Ben pause. Serene, unguarded. His trust was like a fragile ornament in Ben’s hands, held too hard and it would shatter, too loose and it would fall. And Hux had chosen  _ him _ for this, him to  _ marry _ , no one else.

Instead of the searing kiss he’d been planning, his lips met Hux’s in a light, borderline chaste kiss. Hux huffed but he didn’t take charge, not this time. He waited until Ben could deny him no longer, pressing in again for a deeper kiss, then another, then another…

It broke when Ben yawned suddenly and Hux muffled his chuckle into Ben’s shoulder. He freed his wrists to place his hands on Ben’s chest and coax him towards the bed. Ben went reluctantly.

“The sooner the week starts, the sooner it’ll be next year,” Hux reminded him as they slid under the blankets. “And you know what happens next year.”

Ben smiled and curled around him. Hux was right. They had a big year ahead.

[](http://www.dazzlejunction.com/generators/image-generator.php)

 

**Author's Note:**

> Featuring [art](http://sinningsquire.tumblr.com/post/153825801346/benarmie-holiday-kisses-as-headcanoned-by) by squire. :)
> 
> Visit us on tumblr: [squire](http://sinningsquire.tumblr.com) and [frapandfurious](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com)


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